Mick McGeough

Mick McGeough (pronounced mik-GOOH) (born June 20, 1957, Regina, Saskatchewan) was a National Hockey Leaguereferee, who wore uniform number 19 (now worn by Gord Dwyer) from the 1994–95 NHL season until his retirement. His NHL career began in 1987. McGeough was one of the last NHL officials to officiate NHL games without wearing a helmet when he was on the ice. In the 2006–07 NHL season, McGeough was forced by the NHL to wear a helmet on ice, as it was the first season that dictated that all on-ice officials had to do so. He now is helping the NHL bring up new recruits from the AHL. Entering the 2007–08 NHL season, McGeough had officiated 1,023 regular season and 63 post season games.

In a regular season game between the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers on November 4, 2006, with the Stars up 3–2 with 4.1 seconds left in regulation, McGeough waved off what would have been a game-tying goal by Edmonton's Ales Hemsky, ruling that Oilers' centre Shawn Horcoff had made a glove pass prior to Hemsky touching the puck. Replays however clearly showed there was no infraction.[4] The Stars ended up winning the game, as angry fans at Rexall Place littered the ice with debris. The NHL later admitted that the call was wrong, but also fined Oilers head coach Craig MacTavishUS$10,000 for his post-game comments in which he said that McGeough's call was "retarded" and that he should be suspended.[4]

During a regular season game between the Ottawa Senators and the St. Louis Blues on March 20, 2007, there were two controversial calls late in the third period that both disallowed a game-tying goal by the Blues.[5] At 3:14 of the third period, Ottawa goaltender Martin Gerber appeared to have stopped a shot by St. Louis' Brad Boyes. Replays later showed that the puck actually crossed the goal line before Gerber pulled it back to smother it, but play was immediately resumed without a video review.[5] It was only after 33 seconds of play later that the timekeeper blew the horn to signal a video review. McGeough then admitted that the goal should have counted, but he could not reverse the call due to Rule 78.6 which states that a goal cannot be awarded once the play has resumed.[5] The second disputed goal occurred with 2:18 left in the game: The Blues' David Backes appeared to have scored in the same manner, with the puck entering the net before Gerber pulled it back. But McGeough disallowed the goal, ruling that Backes pushed Gerber's glove across the goal line with his stick after the goaltender had possession of the puck.[5]